ALTERATIONS IN CHARACTER 125 



in the way of practical results, the best will be those 

 obtained by asking a dog what he has seen, heard, or 

 scented, etc. Indeed, it is along these lines that the 

 police dogs have proved their worth and importance. 

 Yet it is very necessary that one should make sure 

 that one's dog is not a liar, but an animal capable of 

 taking up its job in the right manner. With our 

 present knowledge, however, we are unlikely to achieve 

 very much, since we cannot say to a dog " go here or 

 there " or " take this letter to so and so." 



Not but what dogs have in exceptional cases and 

 after training learnt to carry out such instructions, 

 but it has resulted without their thought-activity having 

 been developed. They get familiar with a certain road, 

 and basket in mouth they will proceed to the baker's 

 but independently of habit and external impression 

 by the mere appeal to the brain or by means of the 

 most persuasive words, we can attain to nothing worth 

 mentioning, nothing that could be of distinct value, 

 where a dog is kept for use. The sense, the object, 

 and the reason for this educational work must be 

 sought on other grounds. 



